Toto's Mom

My Mom grew up picking cotton, starting at about age 6, back in the 1920's, here in TX. I escaped, but know from farming in the TX heat that cotton was back breaking work.
Yeah, we don't have any of the defoliant smells around here any more, either, that left the plants ready for the automated pickers.
Arizona used to raise some very good cotton, too. ( Pima cottons). Don't see them any more, either. :-(

gale

That's one of the most misunderstood gov't programs ever. Farmers had no choice but to set aside ground but they had to maintain and grow a non productive plant on it, like some kind of grass. They had to keep it mowed and everything at their own expense. But they didn't make nearly as much on it from the gov't (especially after buying grass seed and spending $$ on fuel for mowing) as they would have with a proper crop so most farmers didn't like the set-aside program.

Toto's Mom

That's one of the most misunderstood gov't programs ever. Farmers had no choice but to set aside ground but they had to maintain and grow a non productive plant on it, like some kind of grass. They had to keep it mowed and everything at their own expense. But they didn't make nearly as much on it from the gov't (especially after buying grass seed and spending $$ on fuel for mowing) as they would have with a proper crop so most farmers didn't like the set-aside program.[/quote]

Yes, I had a dear friend here who had farmed all his life, and was a 4th generation farmer and cattle rancher. I used to help him plow , and he was not real thrilled with some of the programs, either. He felt that God didn't make the land fertile to use it for useless programs, and that too many people and animals on this earth needed food, and that food wouldn't grow just everywhere.

gale

oh also I should add-they were not allowed to sell whatever they grew on the set-aside ground and were not allowed to graze any animals on it either. It had to be completely unused (but still maintained).